Business leaders, including CEOs from companies like Amazon, Apple, Facebook, and Disney, are pressuring President Trump and Congress to keep DACA (Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals) alive. The program, which protects approximately 800,000 undocumented individuals who arrived in the U.S. as children, is set to be terminated according to recent government announcements.
On Tuesday, Attorney General Jeff Sessions announced that DACA will be rescinded, and the Department of Homeland Security will stop processing new applications. In response, U.S. CEOs have gathered to urge President Trump to reconsider the decision. Amazon's Jeff Bezos, Apple's Tim Cook, and Snap's Evan Spiegel, among others, signed a letter to President Trump urging him to maintain the program.
Leaders from various industries are voicing their concerns about the potential implications of this decision. Mark Zuckerberg, CEO of Facebook, posted on Facebook noting "this is a sad day for our country" and criticizing the decision as both wrong and cruel. Sheryl Sandberg, COO at Facebook, also shared her thoughts on the matter, echoing calls for Congress to pass the DREAM Act or other legislative solutions to provide safe pathways to citizenship for Dreamers.
Apple CEO Tim Cook addressed his employees, saying that "800,000 Americans – including over 250 Apple employees – could soon be forcibly deported from their only home" and that the Dreamers contribute significantly to Apple's business, consumers, research, and development efforts, as well as the broader economy and communities. He pledged that Apple will join forces with Congress to push for legislative solutions that will protect all Dreamers in the U.S.
Lloyd Blankfein, CEO of Goldman Sachs, tweeted, "immigration is a complex issue, but I won't deport anyone who was brought here as a child and knows only America." He also called on Congress to address the issue.
Bob Iger, Disney's CEO, issued a statement saying, "The Dreamers who are affected by this decision have made an enormous contribution to our nation and our economy." He urged Congress to act swiftly and passage bipartisan legislation to protect these individuals.
Michael Bloomberg of Bloomberg said that "we have Dreamers who drive our companies and fuel our economy. Washington needs to find a solution."
Google CEO Sundar Pichai tweeted that "Dreamers are our neighbors, friends, and colleagues. They deserve our support and the Congress needs to take immediate action to defend DACA."
While no specific actions by U.S. CEOs have been highlighted in the sources, there are several organizations and advocacy groups actively working to protect DACA recipients and their families. These include the Protecting Immigrant Families (PIF) Coalition, American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU), AFT (American Federation of Teachers), and the Chicago Teachers Union (CTU).
